Professional photographers use expensive cameras and flash units to obtain a high quality photographic image. A few brackets have been developed that support the camera and allow the photographer to orientate the bracket to take a horizontal or a vertical photograph. Such conventional brackets have several drawbacks. For example, such conventional brackets do not allow the professional photographer to grasp the bracket in a balanced and secure manner to comfortably and reliably orientate the camera to take a horizontal or a vertical photograph. Such conventional brackets due not adequately support the camera during extensive use and orientation. With such conventional brackets, the camera due to its weight is allowed to deflect from the bracket thereby creating a situation where the camera may become damaged and/or where the photographer cannot take consistent vertical photographs.
The present invention is a bracket for use with a camera and a flash unit. The bracket comprises a base support member having a mounting portion adapted to engage with the bottom surface of the camera and a vertical support member having a first end portion engaged to the base support member and a second end portion. The bracket further comprises a horizontal support member having a first end portion engaged to the second end portion of the vertical support member and a second end portion. The bracket further comprises a flash unit support arm having a first end portion rotatably engaged to the second end portion of the horizontal support member between a first position wherein the second end portion of the flash unit support arm is closer to the vertical support arm relative to the first end portion of the flash unit support arm to allow the person to orientate the bracket to take a horizontal photograph and a second position wherein the second end portion of the flash unit support arm is closer to the vertical support arm relative to the first end portion of the flash unit support arm to allow the person to orientate the bracket to take a vertical photograph. The bracket further comprises a first handle member engaged with the base support member and disposed below the camera and in close proximity to the center of gravity of the bracket so that in the first position the person may with a single hand grasp the first handle member to support the bracket to take a horizontal photograph.